Things That Go Buzz In The Night

 

I've mentioned Tweedsmuir Provincial Park already....this was where we saw the Grizzly sow and her cubs, featured here. But I'd like to tell you a bit more about this unique place, which to me was one of the more interesting parts of the trip.

Tweedsmuir Park is slightly off the beaten track for most travellers. Before becoming Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, the area was explored by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793 and was originally inhabited by the Bella Coola and Chilcotin Indians. We spent two days here, based at the Eagle's Nest Resort at Anahim Lake.

Anahim Lake

Anahim Lake

We stayed in what would politely be termed "rustic accomodation"... log cabins with communal showers a fair walk from our cabin and separate outhouses for the "long-drop" toilets. This made for some potentially exciting midnight toilet trips....although the thought of running into a Grizzly en route was enough to make me renally retentive! At least we had electricity in our cabin - as the only couple on the trip we were lucky enough to get the "honeymoon cottage", so deemed because it had a double bed instead of the cot-like beds of some of the other cabins - others had to rely on paraffin lamps and torches.

Our log cabin

The Outhouse

In stark contrast to these slightly spartan facilities, the resort restaurant provided fine dining under crystal chandeliers....linen cloths, silverware, cutlery rests and a selection of fine wines. I suppose one should get one's priorities right!

We went on a half-day hike on the Rainbow Trail, that led us up through a scorched forest....

Burnt tree in scorched forest

And through an alpine meadow.....

To view the Rainbow Ridge...

 

Rainbow Ridge

Both evenings were spent relaxing by the open fire, spotting fish jumping from the lake and watching the sun slowly set....

Idyllic...were it not for the plague of tens upon thousands of mosquitoes buzzing around our ears! Tweedsmuir is renowned for its heavy mosquito density, and we were there for the worst possible time of it! Miraculously, I escaped bite-free....not sure if that's thanks to the potent bug repellent, or if I have an immunity built up from growing up in the tropics, repelling malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Either way, I'm grateful....others in the group weren't so lucky, and left Tweedsmuir covered in itchy welts and bumps!